Love Hurts (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – A realtor is pulled back into the life he left behind after his former partner-in-crime resurfaces with an ominous message. With his crime-lord brother also on his trail, Marvin must confront his past and the history he never fully buried.

My Take – What a comeback journey it has been for Ke Huy Quan.

A beloved 80’s child star known to a generation as Short Round in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and Data in The Goonies (1985), who disappeared from limelight sometime later and then marked a proper return with a supporting turn in the much-acclaimed Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022). A role that also turned him into an Oscar winner.

And though he garnered further acclaim for recurring in Season 2 of Marvel Studio‘s Loki, his actual big-screen follow-up sees him leading the latest genre film from 87North, better known for their production of the John Wick series of films that helped redefine modern action cinema.

Advertised as a sort of martial arts action-comedy-romance hybrid, the film mixes up the John Wick/Nobody premise of a man forced to revisit the violent life he had renounced, and adds a touch of quirkiness, often seen in Jackie Chan starrers. But while Quan proves to be perfectly capable of headlining a film like this, one can’t help but wish the film, helmed by directorial debutant Jonathan Eusebio, itself was better.

Yes, the fight sequences are enjoyable in a raw, slightly clumsy violent way, the lack of depth in the characters and the missed opportunities hold it back from being truly good. Add to that the incredibly short run time that ensures a speedy viewing but also results in a plot that feels rushed from the moment it begins and states some of the biggest plot points rather than actually showing them.

Sure, it isn’t without its charms, but the film never fully comes together alive in a way the marketing promised, instead coming off as a half-hearted mix of prior 87North productions that did similar things, but much more successfully. It’s entertaining for what it is, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.

The story follows mild-mannered Milwaukee realtor Marvin Gable (Ke Huy Quan) who loves his job, which is more than what his Frontier Realty assistant Ashley (Lio Tipton) can say. With his office getting ready for the annual Valentine’s Day party and some promising sales looking to close, things are really looking up for Marvin, which is until, he gets a curious Valentine card. Realizing that the card is from Rose (Ariana DeBose), a woman from his past life as a hitman, Marvin goes into panic mode.

Years ago, Marvin had been ordered to kill Rose by his crime boss brother Alvin “Knuckles” Gable (Daniel Wu), for misappropriation of funds, something which she was innocent of. However, Marvin let her go and urged her to leave, his unrequited love for Rose motivating him to leave his old life and embrace his new identity while keeping his old name.

But the reappearance of Rose begins a free fall for Marvin’s new life as he is attacked by a rival hitman known as The Raven (Mustafa Shakir), who has a fondness for knives and poetry. And later by the bickering, bumbling duo of Otis (Andre Eriksen) and King (Marshawn “Beastmode” Lynch). All believing he has knowledge of where Rose is. Marvin himself is captured by her, who pushes him to return to his old master assassin days to help her expose the real thief who double crossed her.

Running for only 87 minutes the film isn’t unaware of what it is and gets right to the point, but that’s kind of part of the problem as there isn’t a lot of time spent developing the characters or setting up the circumstances.

Here, director Eusebio, working from a screenplay by Matthew Murray, Josh Stoddard, and Luke Passmore, sets up a narrative with a lot of moving parts, including a subplot featuring Ashley, falling in love with The Raven, who’s tasked with killing Marvin. But there isn’t enough focus on any of them, in particular. The script has zero time to offer a single reason why Marvin and Rose, two people with wildly different temperaments, ambitions, and ages, would ever fall for each other.

Even Marvin Gable as a character feels a bit two-dimensional. We get glimpses of his past, but not enough to truly understand who he is or why he stopped being a hitman. There’s potential for a deeper backstory, but instead of expanding on it, the film keeps circling around the same few details. Dragging itself down with repetition rather than moving forward with anything meaningful. Even the Valentine’s Day setting add nothing of substance to the film except a reason to release it in theaters in the middle of February.

The film also tries to introduce a unique element with love letters as a recurring theme, tying it to a Valentine’s vibe. But while the idea is interesting, the execution feels underwhelming. The letters don’t add much emotional weight, and instead of feeling special, they come across as just another detail in the film.

Unsurprisingly, given that first-time director Eusebio has been a stunt coordinator for more than 20 years (with credits that include the Bourne and John Wick films) the film is at its most assured during the fight sequences. The choreography is slick, yet somewhat goofy, where the fights blend both realism and over-the-top action. Not every hit lands perfectly, not every move is executed flawlessly, and that imperfection actually adds to the charm.

Performance wise, Ke Huy Quan brings something fresh to the genre. The film is lucky to have him elevating the subpar material whilst being a highly capable action star with a very endearing enthusiasm. He’s not your typical tall, muscular hero, but he nails his role in a way that feels both cheeky and authentic. He’s quick, agile, and entertaining to watch.

Ariana DeBose brings plenty of energy as his partner-in-crime. She’s witty, charming, and completely self-serving in the most entertaining way possible. Unfortunately, the central romance between her and Quan is hard to buy. However, audiences will get a kick out of Quan’s interactions with Sean Astin, who plays Marvin’s boss, making for a nice The Goonies reunion onscreen.

In other roles, Daniel Wu is fine, while Cam Gigandet hams it up as always. Lio Tipton is good, Mustafa Shakir is a standout and Marshawn Lynch builds on his scene stealing turn from Bottoms (2023), deserving even more screen time. On the whole, ‘Love Hurts‘ is a flawed Valentine-themed action flick that doesn’t deliver anything unique.